A Matter of Wife and Death: Reflections on Music and Violence

Many authors have explored the connection between creativity and destructiveness, and from a psychodynamic perspective both creative and destructive acts carry a psychic significance. Forensic psychotherapy, notably in the work of Estela Welldon, has shown the importance of understanding the unconscious meaning of the violent act, which can be seen as a form of communication. Similarly to violence, the execution of a piece of music involves a synergy of physical, mental and affective functions, and an interaction of conscious and unconscious forces. Reflecting on her experience of working in prison, the author explores the relationship between music and violence. Describing her work with an inmate who had committed a violent offence, the author illustrates how the structured and formal language of music provided a rigorous yet flexible space where the prisoner's internal world and unconscious phantasies could begin to be confronted. In particular, the author discusses how split off aspects connected with the index offence emerged in the ambiguous language of music. Finally, the author illustrates how the progressive acquisition of music technique can be understood as the beginning of a process of symbolization and integration.